MSP430 Gang Programmer - Error 27

Hi Chris,

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Can you confirm if you are using the older MSP-GANG430 (grey with rows of LEDs) or the new MSP-GANG (black with LCD screen)? In addition, can you let us know the firmware version of the MSP-GANG - you can find this in the GUI under About > About and posting the screenshot/version information?

Some questions to figure out the potential issue (sorry that there are so many but it is hard to say what your problem is without more of this information):

Signal path questions:

• Do you use the provided splitter board from the MSP-GANG and connect to the sockets on there?
• Do you use the provided ribbon cables to connect to a 14-pin header on your board, or do you use some sort of adaptor or other cable to connect to your board? Can you comment on how long the signal path is from the MSP-GANG to your device on the board (including all cables adapters etc)?

The reason I'm asking these types of questions, is that there is a limit on the maximum length of the signal path between the MSP device and the MSP-GANG for reliable operation (see www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slau358 section 1.3 there is a note about this).

JTAG connection questions:

• Are you using a TI target board, or your own custom board?
• If it's you're own custom board, can you also provide information about your JTAG connections between the MSP-GANG and the MSP device? (schematic snippet?)
  • The connections should exactly follow those in www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slau278 Hardware tools user's guide chapter 2.
• What R/C combination is on the reset line?
  • You may want to try lowering the value of the cap on the RST line to see if this helps (especially with long traces or cables for RST connection to GANG).

Device power questions:

• Are you powering the target board from the MSP-GANG during programming, or do the boards have any other power source on them during programming (like a battery or something)?
  • If you power from the MSP-GANG, you need to have Vcc connected to only Pin 2 of the JTAG header and no other power supply on the board (nothing on pin 4)
  • If you power externally from something like a battery for example, you need to have Vcc connected to only pin 4 of the JTAG header (nothing on pin 2)
• How much current do your boards consume, if you are powering them from the MSP-GANG? The MSP-GANG can only provide 30mA with the setting you have and if the GANG is powered via the USB cable. If your boards consume more, you need to use the provided external power adapter to plug it into an outlet.
• Does the issue only happen if you try to program 8 devices at once, or does it also occur when you just have a single board connected?

Regards,

Katie

Signal path questions:

Do you use the provided splitter board from the MSP-GANG and connect to the sockets on there?
Yes.

Do you use the provided ribbon cables to connect to a 14-pin header on your board, or do you use some sort of adaptor or other cable to connect to your board? Can you comment on how long the signal path is from the MSP-GANG to your device on the board (including all cables adapters etc)?
The ribbon cable provided is used, he cable was cut and is attached to sockets that have pogo pins that go up to the board. The length is on average 8" long.

The reason I'm asking these types of questions, is that there is a limit on the maximum length of the signal path between the MSP device and the MSP-GANG for reliable operation (see www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slau358 section 1.3 there is a note about this).

JTAG connection questions:

Are you using a TI target board, or your own custom board?
Our own board.

If it's you're own custom board, can you also provide information about your JTAG connections between the MSP-GANG and the MSP device? (schematic snippet?)
The connections should exactly follow those in www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slau278 Hardware tools user's guide chapter 2.
What R/C combination is on the reset line?
You may want to try lowering the value of the cap on the RST line to see if this helps (especially with long traces or cables for RST connection to GANG).
This is a board that is going into one of our products. Unable to disclose any schematics. No components values can be changed. This would not seem to resolve this issue as the programmer works in 3/8 positions reliably.

Device power questions:

Are you powering the target board from the MSP-GANG during programming, or do the boards have any other power source on them during programming (like a battery or something)?
We are powering via MSP-GANG for programming. What I noticed is on 2 of the boards if I apply the 4.5 volts required to the board that they are then able to be programmed, but then the 3 positions that always work no longerwork.

If you power from the MSP-GANG, you need to have Vcc connected to only Pin 2 of the JTAG header and no other power supply on the board (nothing on pin 4)
If you power externally from something like a battery for example, you need to have Vcc connected to only pin 4 of the JTAG header (nothing on pin 2)
Power is connected properly.

How much current do your boards consume, if you are powering them from the MSP-GANG? The MSP-GANG can only provide 30mA with the setting you have and if the GANG is powered via the USB cable. If your boards consume more, you need to use the provided external power adapter to plug it into an outlet.
Does the issue only happen if you try to program 8 devices at once, or does it also occur when you just have a single board connected?
I am programming these one position at a time at this point. They use on average 4 mA.

Hi Chris,

Would you be able to provide more information about your connections in a private message to me or if we reached out to you via email? The statement about powering the board (adding 4.5V) is confusing and a schematic or even block diagram or part of a schematic/drawing showing only the programming connections and how the device is powered/where MSP-GANG is connected, would be very helpful. I know you have some sockets on the GANG working well but that could just mean you have something that is marginal. With your mention of 4.5V, are you saying that normally the whole board is powered using 4.5V but something steps this down to an acceptable level for the MSP?

One test you could try would be to re-arrange your cable connection to the MSP-GANG, such that now pin 4 of the MSP-GANG is connected to the device Vcc instead of pin 2, and power the board externally - if you are applying an external voltage you need to use pin 4 and it would be useful to see if that affects the issue.

Are there other devices powered on the board when the MSP is being programmed (meaning, if the MSP-GANG is powering the whole board, could other devices be powered up and connected to the MSP) - are there any external devices connected to the RST line of the MSP for example? (and just to confirm 4.5V is not applied directly to the MSP anywhere, because this is out-of-spec for the part and could damage it.)

The length of your cables sounds ok, but have you done some sort of continuity tests to make sure that the pogo pins are getting a good connection all the way from the device back to the MSP-GANG - that there's not some issue somewhere along the line?

Regards,
Katie

My email is chris.shotter@MSAsafety.com

Chris,

I emailed you on Tuesday but haven't received a response (except from your automated system saying you'd gotten my email). Please email back with the requested information if you still need help.

-Katie